Battery-crate cover



' Nov. 26, 1929. F. B. DEANS BATTERY CRATE COVER 'Fii e'd Feb. 13, 1929 s k n Patented Nov. 26, 1929 BATTERY-CRATE COVER Application filed February 13, 1929. Serial No. 339,675.

One object of my invention is to so construct the cover of a large battery crate or other container that the cover can be manipulated by one man.

A further object of the invention is to provide means whereby the cover may be locked in its closed position; and to provide means for elevating the cover prior to its being moved to its open position.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a battery crate with the cover in position;

Fig. 2 is a side view;

Fig. 3 is an end View;

Fig. 4 is an end view showing the cover raised and in position to be removed; and

Fig. 5 shows one side 01": the battery crate with the cover in the open position.

The battery crate l is arranged to be located in position on the frame of an electric locomotive, particularly of the type used in mines, and is of such size that it is dificult for one man to remove the cover to allow ac cess to the batteries within the crate.

The cover 2 in the present instance is made in two parts 33, identical in form with the exception that one part has a flange 4: that overlaps a lip at the edge of the other part, as shown in Fig. 3,

Each part 2 has a flange 5 which fits over the edges of the crate. At each end of each part are bearings 6 for the trunnions of grooved rollers 7. These rollers are arranged to travel on inclined rails 8 secured to the ends of the crate, being spaced sufiiciently from the crate to allow the rollers to travel freely on the rails. The outer end of each rail is turned up to form a stop 17 The rails are inclined to allow the cover to be elevated a sufficient distance to allow any projections on the cover to clear the crate and to allow the parts of the cover to be moved freely to the closed position.

At the inner end of each rail is a lever 9, pivoted at 10 to a bracket 11 secured to the crate. Each lever 9 has a socket 12 to fit the reduced portion of the roller 7. The long arm '13 or" the lever has a suitable handle 14. When the lever 9 is raised, as in Fig. 4., it is locked in the raised portion by an automatic latch 15 of any suitable type which is pivoted to a bracket on the crate.

When raised, the base of the socket 12 in the lever is in line with the rails 8, so that part of the cover 2 can be readily withdrawn by grasping the handles 16 on the cover and moving it out until the rollers strike the curved stops 17 at the outer ends of the rails 8, when the part 3 of the cover can be turned on the rollers 7, which act as pivots, to the position shown in Fig. 5 at one side of the crate. As the cover is slightly inclined when in this position, its lower edge rests against the crate and remains in this position until in the act of closing the cover.

When the parts are moved from the 0 en position, Fig. 5, to the closed position, ig. 4, the rollers travel on the rails 8 and into the sockets in the levers 9. The latches 15 are then released and the lever drops, allowing the parts 3-3 of the cover to seat themselves upon the crate.

When the,parts are seated, the rollers are below the ends of the rails 8,as in Fig. 3, which look the cover in place until the levers are raised and held in the raised position by the latches.

When the levers are in the position shown in Fig. 3, they may be locked by a chain,

which may be passed-through an eye-bolt 18 and any suitable padlock applied.

By my invention the two parts of the cover may be manipulated by one man, notwithstanding their weight, as they are practically balanced when turned on the rollers as pivots. When the parts of the cover are moved to the sides of the crate,-the entire top of thie crate is uncovered and the battery eX- pose While the invention is especially adapted as a cover for battery crates, it can be used to cover any type of container in which the heavy cover must be moved to one side to allow access to the interior thereof.

I claim:

1. The combination of a container; a cover therefor having a roller at each end; rails on the container; and a lever at the inner end of each rail having a socket to receivethe roller as the cover is moved into place.

2. The combination of a container; a cover therefor made in tWo parts; rails at each end of the container having stops at their outer ends; and levers at their inner ends provided with sockets and arranged to be raised so that the sockets Will be in line with the rails or lowered so that the sockets will be below the rails, the parts of the cover having rollers adapted to the rails and sockets.

t 3. The combination of a container; a cover therefor; a roller at each end of the cover; a rail at each end of the container having a stop at the outer end; a lever pivoted at the inner end of each rail said lever having a socket for the roller; and a latch for holding the lever in its raised position, to allow the cover to be removed from the container and turned on the'rollers as pivots.

FRANK B. DEANS. 

